Coronavirus Travel Impact Update

As the world continues to watch the progression of the Coronavirus, or COVID-19, it is becoming more and more difficult to travel, even if one is healthy. Governments worldwide are putting in place mandatory quarantines, cancelling sporting events and discontinuing flights to affected areas.

As we told you in a blog post last week, we were unsure how we would proceed with a planned trip to Rome on March 18th. We are sad to report that with the continued spread of the illness, we have decided to cancel our vacation to Italy. Many factors went into this decision, not the least of which was the concern that we may catch the virus and aid in spreading it. There were other concerns as well, including the question of whether we would be allowed to enter Italy if we went, and, maybe more concerning, whether we would be able to leave when it was time to return to the U.S., and if so, whether we would be allowed to enter the U.S. and if a mandatory home quarantine period would be enforced. Some U.S. companies are even taking their own measures, forcing employees who are returning from trips both foreign and domestic to either work from home or self-quarantine for up to 21 days before being allowed to return to work. If you are planning a trip in the next month or two, be sure you know what your company’s policy is about returning to work after traveling!

In our last post we shared that we were prepared to travel responsibly. While the decision to cancel was difficult, we feel it is the safest and most responsible decision we could make given all of the information that is available.

What did it take to reverse the charges for our condo, air and any other plans? Not too much. Our airline refunded 100% of the points we used for the flight. While we are still working on the condo rental cancellation and refund, we don’t anticipate any issues. Check with your own air, hotel and car rental providers if you have been impacted. Many are allowing changes and cancellation with penalty given the unique circumstances.

In the past, we have always purchased train tickets through the Internet. But not this time! Fortunately we had delayed that purchase until we knew more about the weather. We were also waiting to purchase our RomaCard and make museum reservations until we had more information. That was pure luck!

And, just like we always recommend sharing your international travel itinerary with the U.S. Department of State through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, we had to put our planning in reverse and delete the trip from that site. It was a sad day. If you are facing similar situations, we feel for you!

So, the Italy trip is on hold indefinitely, but we still have plenty to think about for the present! We will now enjoy a staycation in Colorado, using the gift of time exploring our own beautiful state. Yes, the Coronavirus continues to be a concern, yet there are so many other people and experiences that will fill the days and weeks to come. And we are safe. Those are the positive thoughts we can take from this situation.

If your own travel plans have been sidelined by the Coronavirus, other things to remember to cancel or update might include:

• Kennel or pet sitter
• US Postal Service mail hold
• Museum and gallery reservations
• Childcare
• Travel plans you might have shared with your credit cards and banks
• Time reporting at work
• Grocery delivery services
• Dry cleaning
• Sports and arts classes
• And many more…

And for our next vacation? It’s an Alaskan cruise in May, sailing from Seattle, Washington…well, maybe. That’s a whole other topic!

We hope you aren’t forced to cancel your planned trip(s) due to the Coronavirus, but if you are, what other ways are you choosing to make lemonade out of the lemons of this epidemic? We would love to hear about it!

Happy Walking!